The Jacksonville Jaguars have employed their basic supervisor, and employees, of the longer term.
Introduced Friday, the Jags employed James Gladstone away from the Rams to supervise the staff. Whereas it hasn’t immediately impacted the mock draft realm simply but, the shakeup in names might be coming quickly.
For now, a lineman from Michigan nonetheless tops the record.
Hey look, it’s Mason Graham.
Should you haven’t heard, Graham leads the clubhouse in hyperlinks to the Jaguars. It does make sense given the Jags having the league’s worst defensive unit this previous season. For a Huge Cat Nation evaluation on Graham, click on right here.
This looks like an ideal marriage between want, expertise and match. Graham is among the most constant gamers within the class.
This one is one other Graham to the Jags mock. By most metrics, if the draft shakes out with guys like Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter going within the high 4, Graham may simply be the perfect participant obtainable at fifth total in keeping with PFN.
Jacksonville must draft the perfect participant obtainable to return to playoff competition. Mason Graham has the upside to not solely being an elite run defender but in addition a productive move rusher. His capacity to be extraordinarily disruptive on a snap-to-snap foundation will place him into an elite class of NFL defensive linemen.
CBS Sports activities’ Ryan Wilson
For some parity, here’s a totally different title. Wilson has Graham going No. 2 total, and a man like Hunter dropping to sixth. With the fifth decide, the Jags nonetheless go protection on this mock, however really decide up Carter from Penn State.
A freakish athlete who moved from off-ball linebacker to edge rusher for the 2024 season. Carter is just not Micah Parsons — not but, anyway — however he’s simply scratching the floor on what he can do.
A comparability to Micah Parsons is at all times in good firm. In most mocks, Carter doesn’t ever fall to fifth total.
Abdul Carter is a very ELITE expertise at edge rusher.
His first full yr at edge was unimaginable; he displayed bend, elite athleticism, and a surprisingly developed move rush plan.
66 pressures, 13 sacks, 2 pressured fumbles.
I’d take him #1 total if I had been the Tennessee Titans. pic.twitter.com/gW5y6bLmAN
— NFL Draft Recordsdata (@NFL_DF) February 24, 2025
If one other participant has been linked to the Jags nearly as a lot as Graham, it’s fellow Michigan man Will Johnson. The nook is the No. 2 man who pundits assume the Jags may decide up within the first spherical. In most mocks, he isn’t a constant top-5 decide, however he’s in most top-10s.
That reality is necessary, as Filice has the Jags buying and selling again with the New York Jets to No. 7 to select up Johnson.
An entire bunch of mocks have Jacksonville taking a Michigan defensive sort out (Mason Graham), however what if the Jaguars as a substitute go for a Michigan defensive again? Johnson has the pedigree, manufacturing and body of a high cornerback prospect, however there are questions on his lengthy velocity. Consequently, you would fairly argue Johnson has extra money using on a 40-yard sprint than every other human in 2025, with a possible eight-figure distinction between a time within the 4.4s and one within the 4.5s.
A commerce again wouldn’t be a really complicated transfer. It labored final yr. A staff just like the Jets may simply be prepared to overpay for the fifth decide (who decide Shedeur Sanders on this mock) and the Jags may simply transfer again if they don’t seem to be too frightened Johnson goes to go at No. 6 to Las Vegas.
Gonna exit on a limb right here with my superb draft experience: Michigan CB Will Johnson is fairly good. Hoping his medicals are straight in Indy, and I additionally hope his NFL staff has him enjoying loads of press. pic.twitter.com/d5Yeic5w7w
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) February 23, 2025
CBS Sports activities’ Chris Trapasso
Here’s a full wild card. Trapasso thinks the Jags go protection, which is constant. He even has the Jags taking a defensive again, which is true consistent with like 40% of mocks. However this time, it’s South Carolina security Nick Emmanwori.
With Andre Cisco a free agent, the Jaguars deal with the protection place with one of many freakiest athletes in the whole draft, who proved to be a rattling good soccer participant in 2024.
The concept right here can also be not complicated: Andre Cisco will not be the protection of the longer term so why not get a man who has loads of upside?
Should you haven’t heard of Emmanwori, he was a First-Group All-American and First-Group All-SEC member at South Carolina final yr. He’s a big participant at 6-3 and over 225 kilos. Whereas South Carolina will not be a world powerhouse within the SEC, Emmanwori was an enormous issue of their wins with 4 picks and two touchdowns.
One debate we’ve talked about on First Draft that I feel will happen extra as we get nearer to the draft is whether or not South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori might be the primary security off the board.
A uncommon mix of dimension (6-foot-3, 227) and athleticism. Succesful in protection, staff… pic.twitter.com/XJDBHdpUlB
— Subject Yates (@FieldYates) January 22, 2025
Is it possible the Jags take the USC security? In all probability not. Nevertheless it does go to point out simply what number of potential big-hitter gamers there are on this draft, and the way the Jags actually do maintain the important thing to choosing nearly any of them at No. 5 total.
Nick Emmanwori is a security with infinite upside.
He‘s an ATHLETE at 6’3, 227lbs and posted 4 picks, 3 PBUs, and 0 TDs allowed in 2024 to go along with 73 tackles.
He’s able to enjoying within the nickel, field, and single/double excessive. Unicorn alignment.
I’ve a 1st spherical grade on him. pic.twitter.com/zc9gfIaD6s
— NFL Draft Recordsdata (@NFL_DF) January 19, 2025
What are your ideas, Jaguars followers? Tell us within the feedback under!